The Agile Mindset
Ahmed Sidky, Ph.D., shares what an agile mindset is and how people in any discipline can benefit from agility.
In this video, we hear from Ahmed Sidky, Head of Business Agility at Riot Games and President of ICAgile. Ahmed is best known for his work guiding enterprise agile transformations in Fortune 100 companies such as Verizon Wireless, Caterpillar, Nationwide Insurance, ConAgra, Cisco, among many others. Today, Ahmed heads Business Agility at Riot Games where he leads a team of 70 agile delivery leaders.
Watch the video and read the transcript below to find out what agility is and why it should be developed across every discipline.
Video: The Agile Mindset
Featuring: Ahmed Sidky, ICAgile President and Head of Business Agility at Riot Games
Video transcript
[0:03]
Origins of the Agile Manifesto
So, the Agile Manifesto was a document written in 2001. Basically, software methodology people came together and wanted to articulate the different way of working that they had been doing compared to what the rest of the industry was doing.
[0:22]
The agile mindset explained
Really, agile is a mindset — it’s a way of thinking — that’s defined by four values, described by twelve principles, and then manifested through an unlimited number of practices or different ways of working. It’s simply a deep understanding and culture of learning and experimentation and trying things out. Any creative work will benefit from this notion of an agile way of working.
[0:51]
One of the misconceptions about Agile is, sort of, “why,” right? “Why do I want to become agile?” Is it just to become more efficient and more effective? And I think, for some people, they may say yes. But for me, it’s not that. It really is about customer-centricity. Agility is the best way to serve your customer, right?
[1:13]
The power of business agility
The customer today is in a constant state of motion. There’s a lot changing for customers at all times. Acknowledging and understanding that I want to be more customer-centric and that the customer is in a constant state of change, I need to be more flexible — agile — in the way I work. And when I say “I,” I’m saying marketing people, HR people, finance people, product development, content creators, sales, any discipline, any function that is trying to serve a customer.
[1:52]
Agile becomes a necessity, not a nice to have. Because you will not be able to truly surprise and delight and fulfill the needs of your customers without having a way of working where we are co-creating and trying things out and experimenting and adapting and innovating — and being okay with failure.
[2:15]
Advice for your agile learning journey
It is a different mindset, and it’s a different set of capabilities. I think if you just boil it down to doing things differently, that’s all you’ll do. You’re just going to do a bunch of things differently. But if you want to be a different person that is ready for the next century of how business is done and creative work and customer-centricity — that requires a journey, a learning journey for yourself. But it’s a journey worth pursuing because it will change you. It will change the way you work, and it will change what you can do for your customer.
Start your journey
Jumpstart your business agility journey with the ICAgile Certified Professional in Business Agility Foundations (ICP-BAF). Those already holding the ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP) Certification are likely to find this course compelling, especially those interested in the paradigm shifts necessary to enable organizational agility in today’s innovative business climate.
Continue your journey
Leaders and practitioners across all disciplines are paramount to the business agility journey. Continue your learning in Marketing, Finance, HR, and other disciplines within our Operating with Agility track.
